Page 72 of The Surfer

25

RIPLEY

Cove’sgone and he has left me all alone.

He has left me alone on the secret beach, just me and my thoughts and his car keys dangling in my useless hands as I stand here shaking in the aftermath of his fury.

Cove has gone and I am left completely and utterly alone.

I fall down on the soft sand and continue to cry even after he’s disappeared into the bush. Tears pour down my cheeks and drip onto the warm sand as the crashing of the ocean waves fills my ears. Along this long untouched beach, I sit, alone.

Without Cove.

The man has run away, exactly as my Dad had done all those years ago. When it got tough, Cove has run away from me just as I’d feared he would. Cove Finn isn’t special, he’s just like every other guy. He’s just like my Dad.

I saw this coming, but I did nothing to stop it. I didn’t put up any defenses around my heart and now I’m deeply wounded.

I could follow him, I could run and find him amongst the weed and alcohol and pull him away from those vices, but that would be making the same mistake my Mom made all those years ago. I can’t spend the rest of my life ruined by one man’s awful decision to run away just like my Mom has done. But that life isn’t for me, I’m not going to do that, I’ve promised myself I won’t do that.

I can’t ruin my life because of one man’s bad decision to run away.

I wipe the tears from my face with the back of my hand. Sand’s got in my eyes, irritating me.

I know it’s time. Time to talk to Sandy about all this. It’s time to open up to her. I was wrong to think I could change Cove or to hide our relationship from his sister. My best friend deserves to hear the truth from my mouth.

Sitting here on the sand I resolve it’s time to come clean to Sandy.

It’s time to go home.

I follow the familiar trail up through the bush, the same trail that Cove and I have traversed so many times in the last few weeks back up to his parked car by the road. I unlock the vehicle and sit inside, taking in a deep breath to steady myself.

Calm down, Ripley. Crying won’t get you anywhere. Cove’s gone.

I’m still in shock. I don’t know what to do with myself. I don’t want to drive. I don’t want to do anything. Cove has run away, and I am left all alone with an empty void in my heart. There’s nothing I want to do except be back home with Mom in our little apartment. I just want to see her again. I miss her so much after all this time apart.

I just want to feel her hugagain.

Sitting inside the car I take out my phone and dial Sandy’s number. It rings for a long time. She’s at work at the school so I doubt she’ll pick up.

Please do.

After three rings, she does.

“Hello, Ripley?”

Her voice. Her lovely voice.

“Hi, Sandy,” I say, holding back tears. “We need to talk.”

She’s quick to answer. “Where are you?”

“At a beach.”

My best friend hears the emotion in my voice, my failed restraint, and instantly knows something is wrong. “Okay, go home and I’ll drop everything here. I’ll come home.”

In the car, I shake my head. “You don’t have to do that,” I say.

“Of course, I do. Get home. I’m coming. When I get back let’s talk.”